Buildings of Worship as Cultural Heritage in Italy – New Scenarios for the Management and Reuse of Catholic Churches Between Canon Law and State Law

English translation of the abstract and the introduction of the book: Davide Dimodugno, "Gli edifici di culto come beni culturali in Italia. Nuovi scenari per la gestione e il riuso delle chiese cattoliche tra diritto canonico e diritto statale", University of Turin, Turin, 2023, 414 pp. This volume deals with the issues of the management and reuse of places of worship and, specifically, of Catholic churches as cultural assets of religious interest in Italy. Having reconstructed the complex discipline for the “reduction to non-indecorous secular use” pursuant to Canon 1222 § 2 – and the “dismissal” – transfer of ownership – of churches, the exposition continues with the examination of concrete cases of reuse, which occurred in the Archdiocese of Turin between 1978 and 2019. Once disused buildings of worship have been classified as “common goods”, the new models of governance, inclusive and sustainable, able to transform these overabundant properties into a resource for the social, economic, and cultural development of the territorial communities of reference, are identified in the collaboration pacts, in the participation foundation and in the trust.